Despite encouraging progress over the past 10 years, which have witnessed recycling rates increase from 4% to 38%, councils are still failing to meet the target of recycling 40% of household waste.

Authorities have also been warned not to compromise their recycling programmes because of financial difficulties triggered by the economic downturn.

Scotland’s Auditor General, Robert Black said: “There must also be strong leadership and long-term commitment to meeting environmental targets, particularly at a time when there may be considerable pressure to divert money to more immediate issues.”

A report by Audit Scotland found that the country is likely to meet two of its three waste management targets in 2010, but emphasised the scale of the problem that councils will face in the new decade to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

The report said: “Meeting targets for landfill and recycling beyond 2010 will be very challenging, as the necessary reductions in landfill and increases in recycling become even more demanding.”